Jharkhand News : The agitation by students over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) 14th Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination has intensified, putting increasing pressure on the Hemant Soren-led government.
The state government has constituted a four-member ministerial delegation to hold talks with the protesting students. However, the students have rejected the proposal, insisting that they will negotiate only with Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
According to sources, the ministerial team is likely to visit the protest site on Thursday. If talks cannot be held there, the government may invite student representatives to a public venue. Sources also indicate that, in view of the growing protests, the government is seriously considering the option of cancelling the examination results, although no official decision has been announced.
Students Demand Open, Public Dialogue
State Welfare Minister Chamra Linda said the government has invited student representatives for discussions. However, the students have made it clear that they will not participate in any closed-door meeting.
The protesters have demanded that Chief Minister Hemant Soren personally hold discussions with them and that at least two media representatives be present during the meeting. They have also insisted that the entire interaction be conducted publicly to ensure transparency.
One of the protesters said that during a meeting held the previous night, students agreed to hold talks with the government, but only under transparent conditions.
“If the Chief Minister is willing to speak with us on an open platform in front of the media, a meaningful solution can be reached,” the protester said.
The student further alleged that during previous movements, some representatives were called for closed-door meetings that produced no concrete outcome. According to the protesters, restricting the talks to a small delegation appears to be an attempt to weaken the movement rather than resolve the issue.
They maintained that they would welcome discussions if the Chief Minister addressed them publicly and presented the government’s proposals openly.
CID Arrests Five Accused
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand CID, which is investigating the alleged examination irregularities, has arrested five accused with the assistance of the Ranchi and Lucknow police.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Umakant Oraon, Roshan Kerketta, Manoj Kumar, Rakshak Singh, and Dharmendra Kumar.
According to the CID, Umakant Oraon is accused of clearing the 14th JPSC preliminary examination through unfair means and allegedly acting as an agent to facilitate similar malpractice for other candidates. Roshan Kerketta and Manoj Kumar are also accused of using unfair means to qualify in the examination.
Rakshak Singh, a resident of Lucknow, was working as an accountant with TDPL, the company associated with conducting the JPSC examination. Investigators allege that he, too, was involved in examination-related irregularities. Dharmendra Kumar has also been arrested in connection with the case.
The CID is currently interrogating all five accused and investigating the alleged network behind the examination malpractice.
Protest to Continue Until Concrete Decision
The protesting students have reiterated that their agitation will continue until the government takes concrete action on their demands. While the government is attempting to resolve the impasse through dialogue, attention is now focused on the proposed talks and the state’s possible decision regarding the disputed JPSC examination results.
